Wednesday, May 23, 2018

According to a 2013 survey by the American Cleaning Institute, nearly three-quarters of US households do some form of spring cleaning. What rooms are the most often cleaned?

Bedrooms

Kitchens

Bathrooms

Cleaning chores that are not on the typical weekly cleanup list are most often tackled during spring cleaning. Almost four out of five who do spring cleaning attack windows, blinds, and curtains. Other important areas for cleaning (by over two-thirds of cleaners) include clothes, closets and drawers, ceiling fans and carpets. Almost half of all cleaners scrub out their trash cans.

You might want to compare your spring cleaning list or its priority ranking of chores to this list.

You might be wondering, why is spring the traditional season for a thorough house cleaning?

Actually the idea of spring cleaning has deep historical roots. There are also practical and possibly physiological reasons for doing a careful cleanup of our living quarters at this time or year.

Many cultures and religions mark the beginning of a new year in the springtime. There is the Chinese New Year, the Iranian (Persian) Nowruz, and the Jewish Passover.

Even as recently as a century ago, when our homes were heated in the wintertime by burning wood or coal, and lighted with lamps that burned kerosene or whale oil, the soot and grime from these winter technologies built up on walls, windows, and furnishings. Springtime was a good time to clean these off. Warmer weather also meant that windows could be opened to air out the rooms.

Physiologically, the fewer hours of daylight during winter triggers the release of melatonin in our brains. This hormone makes us feel less energetic and more sleepy. We don’t have as much energy for heavy cleaning activities in darker winter months.

But with the return of early daybreak and later sunset in springtime, our melatonin production drops, we have more energy, and therefore we are more likely to feel like cleaning. It may also be true that the increased light levels make visible dirt we did not notice during darker months.

Not really into spring cleaning? The 2018 survey by the American Cleaning Institute found that over a third of those who deep clean their homes do it in a season other than spring. And 6% never deep clean at all.

During the next few weeks, Virtual Ability’s blog will feature tips and articles about spring cleaning, to assist the majority of us, who do still believe that spring is the best time to spruce up your living quarters.

A strong and varied lineup awaits attendees this year, with the theme being "I Am Not My Illness: Identity and Mental Health." The entire conference will be livestreamed at this link: https://gaming.youtube.com/c/AvaconOrg/live for those who cannot attend the event in world. If you are coming into Second Life for the first time to attend, you can visit this page for steps to enter Second Life and come to The Sojourner Auditorium. Below is a quick listing of the conference schedule. All times are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).

In the weeks leading up to the conference, we met with the presenters to orient them to giving their talks in this virtual setting. In doing this, we coach them through navigating with their avatars, dressing them according to their preferences, and using the screen and teleprompter presentation tools. They discover it is not exactly the same as giving a presentation in the physical world, but the outcome is the same. Their message is shared and the audiences actively engage in discussions during the Q&A periods.

To the right, you see an image of the avatar of a presenter for the conferece, Joe DeLuca. He created this avatar for his appearance at this conference. You will see that all the presenters have unique appearances that suit them.

Here at right is a snapshot of a pair of avatars who look quite similar. One of them is presenter Alita Nandi; the other is Gentle Heron. Who is which? (Hint: The avatar on the left wanted to make her appearance more unique.) In the process of orientation, we help the presenters to customise their avatars - it helps them to reflect themselves the way they wish to appear at the conference.

As a special mid-conference feature we are excited to feature a performance by ~DRUM~, a drumming troupe well known for its wonderfully creative, original rhythms.

The name DRUM is an acronym: Divine Rhythms of Universal Music. DRUM's goal is to bring the world to you via the power of drumming, with the aim to have fun and to create incredibly beautiful rhythms - live. All of their works are their own, drawing inspiration from 10 different drum cultures.

The researchers looked at longitudinal food diaries (lists of everything a person eats) for three years from more than 12,000 Australians of all ages.

They found that life satisfaction and happiness increased with each additional daily serving of produce people ate. The greatest positive change in life satisfaction occurred for those individuals who changed from eating less than one portion of produce a day to more than eight. The change in their life satisfaction was equivalent to the gain in psychological well-being that they would have obtained from changing from unemployment to employed status.

Another great thing about the benefits of including more fruits and veggies in your meals is that these results happen quite a bit more quickly than do most physical health benefits from improving your diet.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

March 7th is National Cereal Day. But that doesn’t mean we should indulge in sugar-sweetened refined-flour breakfast treat. With all the brightly colored boxes staring at you from the cereal aisle in the supermarket, how can you make a healthy choice for the morning meal?

You should be looking for a cereal with low calories per serving, high in fiber and protein, and full of vitamins and minerals to give you the best nutritional benefits.

For the healthiest cereals, check that each serving contains 5 grams or more of fiber. Fiber in your diet not only helps material move through your digestive system, but it can also help lower blood cholesterol and blood glucose.

Also, be sure your cereal choice contains 10 grams or less of sugar per serving. Eating sugar can give you a quick energy boost, but often this is followed by a “sugar crash.” Cavity-causing bacteria thrive on the sugar on your teeth after you eat sweetened cereals. Excess sugar in the bloodstream can lead to depression, weight gain, inflammation, higher blood pressure, insulin resistance, and Type 2 diabetes. Find out more about the effects of a high sugar diet by reading this article at WebMD: How Does Too Much Sugar Affect Your Body?

Still think your cereal needs a little sweetening? Consider topping it with fresh or dried fruit. A sprinkle of cinnamon is also refreshing.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

"Just when the caterpillar thoughtthe world was over,she became a butterfly."

From "Ladies of the Borobudur" by Barbara Haines Howett

Initially, any change you make will feel uncomfortable, perhaps even unnatural. You can overcome this discomfort by focusing on small steps, keeping a positive attitude, and reaffirming your commitment to change.

Divide long term goals into small, doable actions. You don’t need to make an entire life change all at once. Remind yourself that changing even small behaviors can help you reach your goals, if you stick to them long enough for them to become new, healthier habits.

Added note: It is said if you stay with a new habit for 30 days, it's an established habit. Resolve to stick to that new, positive lifestyle change and it will simply become part of your life.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Did you know that February 26 is Thermos Bottle Day? What is a Thermos® bottle? It’s a brand name of an insulated storage bottle also known as a vacuum flask. The space between the outer and inner metal bottles is a partial vacuum, created by removing the air. This gap stops heat transfer between the outside and inside containers. If a hot liquid is put inside, it stays hot; it a cold liquid is put inside, it stays cold.

When you first get a new vacuum flask, clean it carefully with warm water and dish soap. Remember, the flask is fragile, so avoid bumping it. You will clean it the same way, with warm water and dish soap, after each use. Do NOT immerse in water or put in a dishwasher. Let the flask drain upside down, then dry it carefully and thoroughly. Store your flask with the stopper off.

When you are ready to use the flask, pre- fill it for a few minutes with hot water (if the contents will be hot) or cold water (it the contents will be chilled). Avoid filling the flask too full; there must always be enough space at the top for the stopper to fit into the neck. Close the stopper tightly and be sure the cup fits securely in place on the top.

Always use the cup when drinking hot liquids from the flask. You should never use the flask to transport baby foods or milk products as these can spoil.

If you care for your vacuum flask properly, it will give you years of hot cocoa and iced tea when you are on long car trips or picnics.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Three new studies suggest that the fate of our health is not bound irrevocably to our genetic makeup. Genetic risk has generally been viewed as unavoidable. But research is now discovering that lifestyle choices and diet can mitigate even high-risk gene variants, affect an organism's DNA gene sequence, and reduce age-related disease risk.

1 A study led by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has found that even among people with high genetic risk of heart disease, a healthy lifestyle can cut the probability of a heart attack or similar event in half. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on November 15, 2016, the findings will be presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions. 'The basic message of our study is that DNA is not destiny,' says Sekar Kathiresan, MD, director of the Center for Human Genetic Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. The research team analysed genetic and clinical data from more than 55,000 participants in 4 large-scale studies. Participants were assigned a genetic risk score based on whether they carried any of 50 gene variants associated with elevated heart attack risk. Four AHA defined lifestyle factors -- no current smoking, lack of obesity, physical exercise at least once a week, and a healthy dietary pattern -- were used to measure participants' level of lifestyle health. Researchers found that the presence of each healthy lifestyle factor reduced risk, and the presence of an overall favourable lifestyle could reduce the incidence of coronary events by 50 percent in participants with the highest genetic risk scores.

2 Researchers from the University of Montreal have found that the makeup of a person's intestinal bacteria ecology (microbiome) -- an ecology largely determined by choice of diet -- may play an important role in determining if they will develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) . AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the industrialised world, and is characterised by a heightened immune response, large deposits of fat debris at the back of the eye (early AMD), destruction of nerve cells, and growth of new diseased blood vessels (late form, wet AMD). Until now, data has suggested that smoking and abdominal obesity (in men) were risk factors for AMD. The researchers found that changes in the bacterial communities of the gut, such as those brought on by a diet rich in fat, cause long-term low-grade inflammation in the whole body and promote diseases such as wet AMD. 'Our study suggests that diets rich in fat alter the gut microbiome in a way that aggravates wet AMD, a vascular disease of the aging eye. Influencing the types of microbes that reside in your gut either through diet or by other means may thus affect the chances of developing AMD and progression of this blinding disease,' says Dr Przemyslaw Sapieha, a researcher in the November 15, 2016 study.

3 We are what we eat, goes the old saying. Now researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated that the diets of organisms can affect the DNA sequences of their genes, by studying groups of eukaryotic parasites and bacterial parasites that infect different plant or animal hosts. Dr Steven Kelly, from Oxford's Department of Plant Sciences, says: 'Organisms construct their DNA using building blocks they get from food. Our hypothesis was that the composition of this food could alter an organism's DNA. For example, could a vegetarian panda have predictable genetic differences from a meat-eating polar bear? To test this hypothesis, we picked simple groups of parasites to use as a model system. These parasites share a common ancestor but have evolved to infect different hosts and eat very different foods. We found that different levels of nitrogen in a parasite's diet contributed to changes in its DNA. Specifically, parasites with low-nitrogen, high-sugar diets had DNA sequences that used less nitrogen than parasites with nitrogen-rich, high-protein diets.' Doctoral candidate Emily Seward, from the same department, says: 'It has been unclear why very closely related organisms can look so different in their genetic makeup. So many factors...can influence the DNA sequence of an organism. But our study explains a very high percentage of these differences and provides evidence that we really are what we eat.'

Monday, February 5, 2018

Are you a person with MS, or a spouse of a person with MS?
Do you have diabetic foot ulcers?
Are you over 55 and have made disability-related job accommodation requests?
Do you live in Tigard, Oregon?
Do you live in the US and use Goggle?
Do you have cerebral palsy?
Are you or do you plan to become pregnant?

Please consider participating in a research study. Some require you to visit a local facility, others are conducted as online surveys or focus groups. Some research offers a cash stipend for participating, or free medical treatment.

All research adds to the body of knowledge that benefits us as persons with disabilities.

If you are new to Second Life, you can create a free account. Start here and after you have downloaded and installed the Second Life Viewer, then entered Second Life for the first time, you can visit the displays. To do this, click on the "Research Pavilion on Healthinfo Island" link above, then click the "Visit this location" button on the map in the page that comes up.

Friday, February 2, 2018

In Second Life®, Virtual Ability owns several islands. One of them is Healthinfo Island, which is home to a number of exhibits about a variety of topics. Do visit these very informative and enlightening displays. Thanks to Mook Wheeler, a member of the Virtual Ability community, they are updated on a monthly basis.

If you are new to Second Life, you can create a free account. Start here and after you have downloaded and installed the Second Life Viewer, then entered Second Life for the first time, you can visit the displays. To do this, click one of the links below, then click the "Visit this location" button.

While there, Click the title poster of the exhibit or display to get a full text notecard. Click each poster for live links and text chat.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

If you have been a blood donor, thank you. I may have received your blood during my spine surgery.

Why January?
Winter weather conditions make it harder for committed blood donors and new donors to get to donation centers. Yet the need for blood and blood products continues. This January, there is a critical need for both O negative and B negative whole blood and for platelets.

Why donate blood?
It’s a simple, nearly painless process that allows you to share a precious renewable personal resource that will make a tremendous difference in the life of another person. Blood can not be manufactured; the only source is from donors.

Now that you’ve decided to donate blood, what should you do to prepare?
Be sure you’ve included plenty of iron-rich foods in your menus in the weeks prior to donation. These foods include red meats, beans and other legumes, seafood, dark green veggies, enriched and whole grain cereals and brightly colored fruits. For more information on iron-rich foods, check out both pages here: https://www.webmd.com/diet/iron-rich-foods.

On the day your donation is scheduled, drink plenty of fluids to stay well hydrated. Wear comfortable clothing with sleeves that you can roll or push up above your elbows. And bring a list of all medications, prescription and over-the-counter, that you are currently taking.

What are the steps at the blood donation center?

During intake, you will show your identification and receive background information. You will have a private interview to establish your eligibility to donate. You will be asked about travel outside the US and Canada in the past three years.

The actual donation process begins with cleaning your arm on the inside of your elbow, and inserting a thin needle into a large vein right at the bend of your arm. This is nearly painless. It feels like a short pinch and then you no longer feel it.

You will sit for about 10 minutes as about a pint of your blood is collected. (Collection for platelets or plasma can take much longer, up to 2 hours.) Since you have about 10 pints of blood throughout your body, you probably won’t notice the difference.

When the donation is complete, the needle is removed, and a cotton ball and bandaid stuck on.

You will then get a snack and drink and can sit in the refreshments area for 10 minutes or so. When you are released, you can return to your normal daily activities.

What are the eligibility criteria to become a blood donor?
Of course to maintain the safety of the blood supply, you must be in general good health and feeling well on the day of your donation. “General good health” means you feel well, can perform normal life activities, and that any chronic conditions are being treated and under control.

What about platelet donation?
Platelets are tiny fragments of cells carried in your blood that help stop bleeding from wounds by forming clots. Donated platelets are essential to people with blood-clotting disorders, and those who are battling cancer, traumatic injuries or chronic diseases. Donated platelets must be used within 5 days of collection, so there’s always a need for new donors. To learn more about platelet donation, look here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/platelets.

What about plasma donation?
Plasma is the complex liquid component of fluid blood. It is mainly water, but contains important proteins, clotting factors, vitamins and minerals, digestive products and hormones.
When your blood is collected for plasma, the red cells and other blood components are filtered out and returned to you with additional saline fluid to replace the extracted blood volume. You can donate plasma once a month, and the duration of the collection procedure is a little over an hour. For more information: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/plasma.

Can I designate that my blood be used for a family member or friend?
This is possible through what is known as “directed donation.” The recipient must initially give consent for specific designated donors, and the recipient’s doctor must submit a written request to collect blood from the designated donors.

There is little evidence that this is safer than blood from anonymous donors. In fact, the social pressure to donate for a family member or friend may compromise the validity of responses to health- and lifestyle-history questions during the intake interview.

Is all donated blood tested for infectious diseases?
Yes, the Red Cross tests every single unit of donated blood or blood products. However, these tests are not 100% effective at detecting infections of the donor in very early stages. That is why donation centers have strict rules about eligibility to be a donor.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

If you feel fatigue, your doctor will want to know if you are tired or sleepy.

Tired means lacking strength and feeling “out of it.” A tired person has trouble focusing but generally feels awake. She has used up her energy, and often feels impatient or agitated with herself.

A sleepy person yawns, his eyes are droopy, and he feels drowsy. He becomes quieter and is likely to nod off.

This difference is important to your doctor. Be sure to share how you feel during the day. People with insomnia are constantly tired, but rarely feel the desire to sleep in the daytime. Individuals who suffer from sleep apnea or narcolepsy are tired, too, but they constantly fight off sleep, often nodding off at work or even behind the wheel.

If you can be clear in describing the symptoms you are experiencing, your doctor will be able to better identify what help you need. While insomnia isn't an urgently life-threatening condition, sleep apnea can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, and it can be treated. Those who suffer from sleep apnea frequently have no idea, and when they receive treatment they report a significant difference after the first night.

There is a little test you can give yourself, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)1. Developed by Dr. Murray Johns of Epworth Hospital in Melbourne Australia, it is a scale intended to measure your daytime sleepiness. It consists of a short questionnaire, and while it may be a rather subjective one, it can be useful in helping you and your doctor determine if you need help. Each of eight scenarios are scored on a scale of 0 to 3; then the 8 scores are added up. A result in the 0-9 range is considered normal, while a number in the 10-24 range may indicate a problem needing expert medical help. Scores of 11-15 often suggest the presence of mild to moderate sleep apnea; 16 and above may indicate severe sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

The ESS is really a subjective test, not scientific, but it may help catch a problem that can be investigated with your doctor's help, and you may be on your way to better sleep - and better health!

Monday, January 22, 2018

With Tax Season starting soon in the United States, it's a good time to take stock of your financial records and get organised, to make your tax filing process just that much less painful. Even when it's not tax season, wherever you live, these are good habits to get into.

Try these hints to make keeping your finances organized a little easier.

Use the same names for electronic and paper files.
You probably get some bills and statements electronically, and others paperwork through the mail. You may even get some bills in the mail that you turn around and pay electronically. Make sure your filing systems are parallel for the two kinds of documents.

Don’t keep everything.

While it’s tempting to just keep all financial records, forever, it’s really not necessary. Documents you’ve saved as tax records need only go back 3 years (7 years if you saved them to show a loss).

Keep transaction receipts only until you verify them on the next monthly credit card or bank statement. Keep the credit card and bank statements only until you receive the year-end summary reconciliation.

You get a new insurance policy booklet every year. Throw away the old one.

Keep up every day.
Once your system for financial record-keeping is in place, spend a few minutes each day keeping it updated. Put incoming bills to pay in either a physical or electronic folder. Make a note a few days before the due date on your calendar (to allow time for the mail to arrive). When you check your calendar each morning, you’ll know what payments to make on that date. When you have paid each paper bill, write PAID on the portion you keep and the date, and file it correctly.

Make a notebook for tax documents.
Create a Tax Notebook with folders for holding paperwork. Print off copies of electronic records that are tax-related and include them in the notebook’s folders along with paper records. Store all tax-related documents in the proper folder, labeled by document type. Be sure to keep all proofs of charitable donations and 1099 forms for miscellaneous income. Keep the notebook updated as part of your daily financial filing chores. Next spring you’ll have all your tax records neatly stored in the notebook.

Friday, January 19, 2018

We all have days when we are feeling a little sad. And it's okay to be in that mood sometimes, but not for too long. This is the time of year a lot of people may get into the doldrums. Thank the long, cold winter or hot, sweltering summer - depending on where you are in the world. You might not have noticed, but in the northern hemisphere, the days ARE getting longer; and shorter, cooler days are really coming in the southern hemisphere.

There's a little trick that can help. When you're feeling blue, make a list. Yes, you read that right - make a list! Don't make a "to do" list. Instead, think of all the things that you like, even love. Your favourite things. Make lists of them - they can remind you of good things and better days, and even motivate you to do something positive to get that little cloud lifting.

Your People
People you love
People who love you
People who inspire you
How you met your favourite people
Favourite authors and/or actors
Three people, past or present, you would love to visit with you

Your Accomplishments
Things you are proud of
Scariest things you have done
All the things you are good at
The last time you "paid it forward"
Things you are grateful for
Something new you learned
Someone you helped

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Most of us are about ready for Ditch Your Resolutions Day, which is January 17. If you change your resolutions using these tips, you will be more likely to be able to stick with them and accomplish your goals.

Start slow and gradual.
instead of a fitness goal of exercising every day, aim for twice a week. It’s a more attainable goal.
You don’t have to implement all your resolutions at the same time. Stagger their start dates so you’re only making one change at a time.

Set attainable goals.
Start yourself off with a small success. You’re more likely to stick with that goal. Change a long-term weight loss amount resolution (“I will lose 25 pounds by summer.”) into a weekly behavior change goal (“I won’t eat while watching TV.” or “I will have a fruit or vegetable at every meal this week.”)

Allow for exceptions.
You don’t need to go “all or nothing” on most life changes. For instance, don’t outlaw all carbs. They are a source of food energy, and many are healthy and contain fiber.
Don’t deny yourself all sweets. A piece of fruit is healthy. And one candy bar once in a while isn’t likely to derail your whole diet improvement plan. Forgive yourself and move on.

Avoid the trends.
You don’t need fancy diet foods, fad diets or the newest fitness program at the gym. Use common everyday items and activities to reach your long range goals.

Friday, January 12, 2018

Your health care team probably includes a pharmacist. Most people know that a pharmacist is a licensed medical professional who distributes medications and drugs prescribed by physicians to patients. Pharmacists in the US have a graduate level university degree, and must also have passed a series of examinations of their pharmacy skills and knowledge. All US pharmacists are required to have a certain number of hours of supervised experience before they can acquire their license.

But do you know what else your pharmacist can do to help you maintain your health and wellness?

You can ask your pharmacist questions about any of your prescriptions, the proper way to take them, potential side effects, and possible interactions with other prescription and over-the-counter medications you are taking. Pharmacists can offer advice about the selection, dosage, interactions and side effects of any medication to patients and to doctors and other medical professionals.

Your pharmacist can offer advice about general health topics, including diet, exercise and stress management. He can offer specific advise about conditions such as high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes, or about wellness goals such as smoking cessation.

Your pharmacist can also advise you on general health products carried in the pharmacy, including durable medical equipment and home healthcare supplies that may or may not be prescribed. She may complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork. Many pharmacists now are trained to administer vaccinations, such as the flu shot.

Did you know...

...That pharmacists save patients time, and save the government money?

For an excellent visual explanation of evidence-based statements about what pharmacists do in the US, please see this website: http://whatpharmacistsdo.org/

Monday, January 8, 2018

Influenza, often nicknamed "the flu", is a viral disease that can have mild symptoms such as sniffles, sore throat and feeling tired, or it can develop into severe complications such as viral pneumonia and heart failure.

The 2017-2018 flu season has seen a worrisome spread of this illness. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publishes a weekly report on the spread of influenza in the United States. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also monitors the spread of influenza across the world.

First, get vaccinated. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated every year (with some rare exceptions). Again, if you can, GET VACCINATED.

Second, the following actions will help you to stop the spread of germs:

Wash your hands! Always wash your hands after using the restroom; after sneezing or coughing or blowing your nose; and before and after eating. Wash your hands after touching surfaces touched by other people, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, cart handles, counter tops. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.

Carry tissues and hand sanitizer. Use the tissues to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, then immediately dispose of the used tissue. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) when you can’t wash your hands. Offer to share the sanitizer with others.

Don’t touch your face. If you do have flu germs on your hands, they are easily transferred through your eyes, nose and mouth into your body.

Don’t share items such as phones and computer keyboards with others. Disinfect hard surfaces after others have touched them.

Stay away from people with symptoms. And do others a favor and stay home when you are ill.

Third, if your doctor prescribes them, take antiviral drugs. The sooner they are taken, the better. Those at high risk for flu complications like pneumonia especially are encouraged to stay in contact with their doctors if they become ill.

While anyone can get the flu, young children and adults over age 65 are considered vulnerable. A little common sense and use of preventive measures will help to lower the risk for yourself and everyone around you.

Friday, January 5, 2018

What’s with these so-called intellectual bubbles we’ve heard about this past year, anyway? What does it mean?

Many of us get information and support from others who are basically just like ourselves. Sometimes we do it voluntarily, but often it’s unconscious on our part. There’s even a whole tech sector dedicated to providing you with electronic material “just for you,” tailored to your tastes.

Of course that’s comfortable! You know pretty much what to expect when you interact with these people or read those web posts. But sometimes the intellectual bubbles we’re in encourage us to forget the diversity of the world outside the bubble. When we associate with people like ourselves, speaking the same language and experiencing the same lifestyle, we begin to assume, however unconsciously, that everyone else must be like us, or else be wrong.

That’s the danger of intellectual bubbles: We are shielded from the broader reality, we lose touch with the world’s diversity. By preventing us from understanding how other people think and feel, bubbles build walls and create intolerance.

So take a risk, and escape from your intellectual bubble. Here are three steps you can take to do that.

Get Physical

You can actually physically escape from your bubble. In our ordinary environment, we see the same people, often like ourselves, all the time. Perhaps it’s time to get away. But where can you go?

This doesn’t have to mean international travel. There are probably many places in your own community you have never visited. A restaurant you’ve never eaten at. A business you know nothing about.

Consider calling up a local civic organization or educational institution and asking for someone to give you a tour and tell you about their mission or activities.

Volunteer with a group that serves people you’re not likely to meet in your daily life, perhaps people from a different age group or culture. You could read to grade school kids, or serve meals at an elder daycare.

Experiencing a new culture is a great way to understand more about people. You will never know what you can learn until you try this strategy for physically escaping from your bubble.

Learn Things!

A second escape method is to build new skills. This can be anything now to you, really!

Learn to knit. Try out yoga. Play the saxophone or flute. Find out how to greet people and ask for directions in a new language. Learn to make a simple mobile app. Read a novel in a genre you’ve not sampled before.

Get outside your comfort zone. Whatever you do will get you to employ a different part of your brain. This strategy encourages you to experiment with content and problem-solving tools that are outside your current repertoire.

Make Your Own (Different) Bubble

This third strategy may sound like an odd way to escape a bubble, but do consider creating your own bubble. A new one.

Be sure you have real friends (not Facebook friends) who are very different from yourself. Second Life® is a great way to learn to know people from a wide variety of geographic places and cultures.

In your social media, follow on Twitter (Editor's note: In fact, you don't even have to follow people to read their tweets) and read blogs by people very different from yourself. Watch TED videos for knowledge, inspiration, and challenges to your way of thinking.

This next suggestion may feel more like preparing for a high school debate. Pick a topic you’re familiar with, and get informed about the opposing point of view. Ask someone who disagrees with your position on a topic why they believe as they do, and really listen to their explanation without trying to pick it apart.

Of course these exercises will allow you to better understand other points of view. What this strategy also leads to is the ability to see multiple angles of an argument, and to possibly synthesize new approaches with your original position.

You will naturally feel some discomfort in emerging from your intellectual bubble. I imagine a newly winged butterfly feels somewhat disoriented when coming out of her cocoon.

But think about it this way… The future absolutely won’t be like the present. Being able to escape from your intellectual bubble will make you more effective in your future life. You may actually come to enjoy the challenges of new experiences and changes.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Most adults do not get the recommended 7 to 8 hours of high quality sleep each night. If you are sleeping more or less than the recommended amount, you are probably not functioning at full capacity. Here are some tips to help you sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed.

Be physically active for 30 minutes most days. Try to schedule your exercise sessions at least 3 hours before bedtime.

Limit caffeine in the morning and avoid it after noon. There are similar stimulants in nicotine and decongestants, so try to cut down.

Monday, January 1, 2018

I don’t know many individuals or organizations that would turn down a gift of money, any time of year. It’s good to give. However, we don’t always have funds to spare for charity. There’s plenty you can offer that isn’t money, though. But why bother giving anything at all?

Giving, also known as altruistic spending, has positive effects on health. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame Science of Generosity Initiative wrote the book The Paradox of Generosity1 to share their findings. Americans who donated more than 10% of their incomes were less depressed than those who didn’t donate as much. Giving money does not even need to be to that high an extent to increase happiness. Research at the University of British Columbia2 showed that those who donated small amounts of money to charity or as a gift were happier than those who used the cash to pay a bill or buy themselves a small treat. A summary of research on altruism and health3 concluded there was a strong correlation between people’s health, happiness, well-being and longevity and their altruistic emotions and behaviors.

So, what can you give if you don’t have extra cash? Here are a few ideas.

• Donate through a company - Several companies will donate to a charity of your choice. The Amazon Smile program is one such. Amazon donates a small percentage of your purchase amount to your designated charity, and it does not cost you anything additional.
Some employers have a matching donation program. Check whether yours does by asking your HR Department.

• Give your time and genuine interest - Going out for coffee or lunch with a friend or work colleague makes both of you happier. Networking events are another way to spend time with others you know less well.

The benefit of the time you spend with someone is enhanced when you are sincerely “present,” meaning emotionally available as well as physically there. Although sometimes more difficult to achieve, this type of generous giving improves relationships as well as overall health. According to the Notre Dame researchers1, 48% of persons in more giving relationships were in excellent health, compared with 31% who were not in such relationships. People in “satisfying relationships” show more autonomic activation when confronting psychological challenges and have more efficient restorative behaviors4. While the effects of volunteering are beneficial for those who have a positive view of others, those who do not hold such views apparently do not benefit5.

• Share laughter! - Tell a joke or a silly story. Laughter, yours and the listener’s, is a great antidepressant6. Laughter reduces stress7, burns calories by increasing your heart rate8, decreases pain9, and may even protect you against heart disease10.

• Spread kindness - “Random acts of kindness” don’t have to be big things. Smiling at the check out clerk, letting someone with fewer items go in front of you in the grocery line, offering a compliment to someone at the bus stop on their choice of reading material, helping an elderly person step down safely off a curb… small actions of kindness on your part will improve your day as well as the recipient’s 11.

• Offer your skills - Volunteer to use your skills to benefit others. Can you help a struggling small business with bookkeeping? Clean house or prepare a casserole for a new mother overwhelmed with caring for her baby? Sew cuddle blankets that the rescue squad can give to traumatized children? Refurbish donated computers for a nonprofit?
Everyone has skills they can share. One way to share your life knowledge is to be a peer supporter. Research12 on nurses with chronic pain showed that those who volunteered to work with other chronic pain patients had decreased levels of pain intensity depression and disability, compared with those who did not volunteer. Helping others appears to reduce the risks of dying by buffering the effects of stress13. Persons who are less well socially integrated seem to derive the most improvement in well-being from volunteering14.

As Winston Churchill famously stated,

“We make a living by what we get.We make a life by what we give.”

Find a way to give to others in the coming year, and reap the health benefits of your actions.

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